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Bebop Spoken There

Ambrose Akinmusire: “ I am certainly always aware of what the masses are doing. And when I see too many people going one way, I'm going another way - even when I don't know what's over that way". DownBeat, March, 2024.

The Things They Say!

Hudson Music: Lance's "Bebop Spoken Here" is one of the heaviest and most influential jazz blogs in the UK.

Rupert Burley (Dynamic Agency): "BSH just goes from strength to strength".

'606' Club: "A toast to Lance Liddle of the terrific jazz blog 'Bebop Spoken Here'"

The Strictly Smokin' Big Band included Be Bop Spoken Here (sic) in their 5 Favourite Jazz Blogs.

Ann Braithwaite (Braithwaite & Katz Communications) You’re the BEST!

Holly Cooper, Mouthpiece Music: "Lance writes pull quotes like no one else!"

Simon Spillett: A lovely review from the dean of jazz bloggers, Lance Liddle...

Josh Weir: I love the writing on bebop spoken here... I think the work you are doing is amazing.

Postage

16287 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 16 years ago. 169 of them this year alone and, so far, 41 this month (Mar 18).

From This Moment On ...

March

Tue 19: Jam session @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free. House trio: Michael Young, Paul Grainger, Tim Johnston.

Wed 20: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 20: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 20: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.

Thu 21: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ The Holystone, Whitley Road, North Tyneside. 1:00pm. Free.
Thu 21: Castillo Neuvo Trio + Conor Emery & His ‘Bones Band @ The Grove, Ouseburn, Newcastle. 7:30pm (7:00pm doors). £10.00. (£7.00. student).
Thu 21: Remi Banklyn + Chris Corcoran Trio @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm. £12.50. Chicago blues. An International Guitar Foundation promotion.
Thu 21: Merlin Roxby @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig. Ragtime piano.
Thu 21: Tees Hot Club @ Dorman’s Club, Middlesbrough. 8:30pm.

Fri 22: Vasilis Xenopoulos & Paul Edis @ The Gala, Durham. 1:00pm. £8.00. SOLD OUT!
Fri 22: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 22: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 22: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 22: Nauta + Remy CB + Last Orders @ Hoochie Coochie, Newcastle. 8:30pm (7:30pm doors). Free.
Fri 22: Vasilis Xenopoulos-Paul Edis Quartet @ Traveller’s Rest, Darlington. 8:00pm. £15.00. Opus 4 Jazz Club.
Fri 22: Redwell @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.

Sat 23: Jambone @ The Glasshouse, Gateshead. 6:30pm. Free (ticketed). End of term performance in the Northern Rock Foundation Hall.
Sat 23: Milne-Glendinning Band @ The Vault, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free.
Sat 23: Red Kites Jazz @ Rowlands Gill Community Centre NE39 1JB. 7:00pm. Tickets: £12.00. (gibsidecommunityfarm@gmail.com). A ‘Build a Barn’ fundraiser. BYOB, tea/coffee available.
Sat 23: New Century Ragtime Orchestra @ Gosforth Civic Theatre, Newcastle. 7:30pm. £20.00. + bf (book in person at venue - no booking fee!). Featuring pianist Martin Litton.
Sat 23: Pete Tanton’s Cuba Libre @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.

Sun 24: Musicians Unlimited @ Park Inn, Hartlepool. 1:00pm. Free.
Sun 24: More Jam @ The Globe, Newcastle. 2:30pm. Free.
Sun 24: Luis Verde @ Queen’s Hall, Hexham. 3:00pm. Verde (alto sax); Joe Steels (guitar); John Pope (double bass); John Hirst (drums). Alto sax brilliance!
Sun 24: Elsie Franklin @ The Globe, Newcastle. 3:00pm. £10.00. Country blues. An International Guitar Foundation promotion.
Sun 24: 4B @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay Metro Station. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 24: Las Vegas Live with the Rat Pack @ The Forum, Billingham.
Sun 24: Ian Millar & Dominic Spencer @ Otterburn Memorial Hall. 7:30pm. £12.00.
Sun 24: Lindsay Hannon: Tom Waits for No Man @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 7:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig. Note start time - 7:00pm.
Sun 24: Bold Big Band @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm.

Mon 25: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Mon 25: Michael Young Trio @ The Engine Room, Sunderland. 6:30pm. Free.

Saturday, September 10, 2016

Film Review: The Geordie Jazzman

The late Keith Crombie was very much his own man - you loved him or you hated him. I loved him, as did 99% of the audience at a press showing of Abi Lewis' amazingly perspective take on a character who was, without argument, the most charismatic of any non-playing jazz person in the north east - ever! The applause that followed the credits, proof of how well Abi's film captured her subject.
Based on a series of interviews with Crombie - acquaintances refer to him as Keith but, to close friends and bitter enemies, he was 'Crombie' - we delve into the man and try to discover what made him tick.
Music meant so much to him whether it be jazz, early rock and roll or rhythm and blues.  The film captures all this and more. His encyclopaedic knowledge, helped by a collection of books that rivalled the average library, enabled him to hold his ground on just about any subject. I recall one Sunday afternoon, when things were quiet in The Caff, after discovering I lived in Hebburn, he produced a host of info on the history of shipbuilding on the Tyne before switching to Stan Laurel who, he told me, once appeared on stage in Jarrow!
Throughout the film, similar quirky moments are revealed - too many to mention here - suffice to say the audience laughed along.
Eric Burdon had his own memories of Pink Lane and there were clips of more recent gigs from the old days.
Don Forbes and Mark Robertson, as one-time resident musicians at The Caff, provided more insight.
However, words can only paint a small picture. When it's at a cinema near you, on DVD or online this is one film you mustn't miss - if you ever went to the Jazz Café who might even find yourself caught on camera.
After the deserved applause - we should have been standing - Abi Lewis, Eric Burdon and two others whose names, embarrassingly escape me took part in a short forum,
Down in the bar, Pete Gilligan, Paul Grainger, Gypsy Dave Smith, Lindsay Hannon and Don Forbes provided the music - there were others waiting in the wings - but the number 27 bus was already approaching the Tyne Bridge so I had to bid adieu to my best ever film premiere (it was also my first) but, even if I'd been to every one since Gone with the Wind this would still rate pretty high. More importantly, it was an emotional tribute to a Tyneside Icon.
He fought the law and the law won - or did it?
Photos.
Lance.

1 comment :

Unknown said...

It's wonderful that Keith Crombie should be remembered rather than disappear into oblivion. Throughout Newcastle's history characters such as Bobby Shaftoe, Bessie Surtees and John Marley have earned immortality. In modern times it's more difficult to achieve that level of celebrity; nowadays most of the city's local heroes have tended to be footballers. However, it's fair to say that Keith Crombie merits that status and I like to think that this film will be the beginning rather than the end. There are some like myself, I can think of Sheena Conroy and Dave Ismay, who, fifty years ago, considered ourselves to be among his good friends. Nevertheless, we were considerably younger and always called him Keith out of authentic respect and affection rather than the curt, Crombie. I'm sure there are many who have favourite memories and anecdotes; my own involves the time he saved me from a good kicking by using the starting handle from his jeep as a weapon of mass destruction. Keith had a good intellect and many fine qualities and I look forward to seeing the film.

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